Letter: Alaska needs to take wildlife poaching more seriously

This is in response to your recent article about three men illegally killing sheep and moose in the Anchorage area, including Chugach State Park. The sentences imposed on the two men who pleaded guilty are far too lenient to punish them for their crimes and to serve as deterrence for other hunters thinking about illegal hunting. These men should have been prohibited from ever hunting in Alaska again, should have been required to pay larger fines, and should have been required to serve actual jail time instead of ankle monitoring.

Sheep populations are declining precipitously all around the state of Alaska. In addition, moose populations are declining in many GMUs close to Anchorage. Finally, these men, by killing animals and leaving their carcasses in places where people recreate, created a very dangerous situation for the public because bears would be attracted to those carcasses. In Alaska, where wildlife populations are declining in most areas of the state, the state of Alaska should treat this type of wanton disregard for laws much more seriously. These men only received a slap on the wrist.

— Michelle Bittner, Anchorage

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